Barack and Michelle Obama Share Heartbreaking Family News as They Say Goodbye to Sunny

The former president and first lady are mourning Sunny, the Portuguese water dog who joined their family during the White House years and remained a beloved companion for 13 years.

WASHINGTON — Barack and Michelle Obama are mourning a deeply personal loss after announcing that Sunny, their longtime family dog and former White House resident, has died at age 13.

The former president shared the news on September 16, saying Sunny died the previous day after spending more than a decade alongside Barack, Michelle, Malia and Sasha Obama.

Sunny entered the Obama family in August 2013, during Barack Obama’s second presidential term, joining another Portuguese water dog who had already become famous around the world: Bo.

The Obamas said Sunny quickly became part of the family, bringing a considerably more energetic personality into the White House and developing a particularly close relationship with Bo.

Despite belonging to a breed famous for its relationship with water, Sunny apparently had one amusing contradiction: according to Obama, she strongly disliked getting wet.

Obama remembered Sunny as exceptionally athletic and energetic, describing a dog who loved running across the White House grounds and chasing practically anything she spotted moving nearby.

Her adventures included jumping over hedges on the South Lawn while pursuing squirrels and birds, creating memorable moments inside an environment normally associated with presidents, diplomats and Secret Service agents.

Sunny nevertheless became accustomed to that unusual environment, regularly appearing in official White House photographs and joining the Obama family during public events and holiday traditions.

She and Bo became among the most recognizable presidential pets of the modern era, offering Americans an informal glimpse into family life inside one of the world’s most famous residences.

The dogs were frequently photographed with Malia and Sasha, who spent much of their adolescence in Washington while their father served two terms as the 44th president.

Sunny was remembered as especially protective of Bo and affectionate toward the Obama daughters, becoming a constant companion during years of significant changes for the entire family.

When Barack Obama’s presidency ended in January 2017, Sunny left the White House with the family and began a considerably quieter chapter away from the daily attention surrounding presidential life.

Bo remained alongside her until May 2021, when the Obama family announced that he had died from cancer after more than a decade with them.

At the time, Barack Obama described Bo as a loyal presence who tolerated the enormous changes accompanying presidential life while remaining consistently gentle and dependable around the family.

Sunny continued with the Obamas for another five years, meaning her death now closes the chapter involving both dogs that became so closely associated with the family’s White House years.

In announcing Sunny’s death, Obama recalled her enthusiasm for attention, belly rubs and family activities while emphasizing the personality that made her much more than a former presidential pet.

The family said they would miss Sunny terribly, while taking comfort in imagining that she had been reunited with Bo after their years together.

The announcement quickly prompted condolences online as photographs of Sunny and Bo from the White House years began circulating again across social media.

Those images include Sunny exploring the South Lawn, spending time with members of the Obama family and participating in traditions such as welcoming the official White House Christmas tree.

Presidential pets have long occupied an unusual place in American culture because they provide a more personal view of presidents whose daily lives are otherwise dominated by politics and government.

Sunny belonged firmly within that tradition, becoming recognizable internationally while remaining, from the Obama family’s perspective, simply a dog they loved.

The announcement also illustrates how easily the meaning of personal news can change when repackaged for social media.

Viral graphics showing separate photographs of Barack and Michelle Obama beside a broken-heart symbol have circulated with phrases such as “Barack and Michelle Have Announced to the World...”

Without explaining what was announced, that presentation naturally encourages readers to speculate that the news concerns their marriage rather than the death of their family pet.

The confirmed announcement surrounding Sunny provides no basis for that implication. The news the Obamas shared was about losing a companion who had been part of their family since the White House years.

For Barack and Michelle, Sunny’s importance extended considerably beyond her status as a presidential dog. She accompanied their daughters through adolescence and followed the family into nearly a decade of post-presidential life.

That helps explain why their farewell focused primarily on ordinary family memories — running, playing, companionship and affection — rather than Sunny’s unusual history inside the executive mansion.

After 13 years with the family, Sunny leaves behind a collection of photographs and memories documenting a surprisingly personal corner of the Obama presidency.